Libya's Campaign To Discredit Eman al-Obeidi After Rape Allegations

Libyan-American women demonstrate to show solidarity with Eman Al-Obaidi in front of the White House March 30, 2011. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The scene was chilling. A woman bursting into a Tripoli hotel room to tell foreign reporters she was raped by Gaddafi’s troops only to be forcibly dragged away by security officials and effectively disappeared.

Now Amnesty fears Eman al-Obeidi is being detained and put under pressure to withdraw her allegations in what looks to be an attempt at face-saving by the government.

Al-Obeidi, who is now being sued by those who she says raped her with the apparent approval of Libyan authorities, should be released immediately. Instead of carrying out this smear campaign, the government should launch an investigation into her very serious allegations.

Eman al-Obeidi was removed from the Tripoli hotel last Saturday by security forces and detained and has not been seen since despite government claims that she was released.

During Colonel al-Gaddafi’s long rule in Libya, critics and opponents of his government have been routinely subjected to detention, torture and disappearance. Amnesty International has recently documented further cases of enforced disappearance by his forces since the current protests began.

Eman al-Obeidi’s case is alarming also because of the signal it sends to other women who may be subject to rape or other sexual violence, and who may now fear to come forward and disclose what has been done to them.

We will be issuing an urgent action for our members to write to the Libyan authorities and demand Eman al-Obeidi’s release later today. We will post the link back here on this blog.

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Where is Eman al-Obedidi? I am in such a pain fo this woman that i have cried so much looking at her pain..but so poud she has the courage to tell her story in a country where this is considered a taboo.

Where is Eman al-Obedidi? I am in such a pain fo this woman that i have cried so much looking at her pain..but so poud she has the courage to tell her story in a country where this is considered a taboo.

The email that the urgent action pdf provides for the Gaddafi Development Foundation Executive Director was sent back to my email in error and could not be delivered. Please let us know when you have another active email address for this person!

Since the executive director's email wasn't working, I've sent messages to various authorities at the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation through their website in the hope that this will be equally effective. Again, please let us know when you have other working email addresses available for this Urgent Action. Thanks very much!

The email that the urgent action pdf provides for the Gaddafi Development Foundation Executive Director was sent back to my email in error and could not be delivered. Please let us know when you have another active email address for this person!

Since the executive director’s email wasn’t working, I’ve sent messages to various authorities at the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation through their website in the hope that this will be equally effective. Again, please let us know when you have other working email addresses available for this Urgent Action. Thanks very much!

I composed and recorded this song for Eman al-Obeidi to raise awareness of the nightmare that she's in, and encourage her, and to let her know that she is not forgotten. One of the main reasons she's still alive is due to all the attention that she's gotten from around the world, so PLEASE feel free to share this song with everyone and post it where ever you want in support of Eman.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl4L3ZxriOM

I composed and recorded this song for Eman al-Obeidi to raise awareness of the nightmare that she's in, and encourage her, and to let her know that she is not forgotten. One of the main reasons she's still alive is due to all the attention that she's gotten from around the world, so PLEASE feel free to share this song with everyone and post it where ever you want in support of Eman.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl4L3ZxriOM

I composed and recorded this song for Eman al-Obeidi to raise awareness of the nightmare that she's in, and encourage her, and to let her know that she is not forgotten. One of the main reasons she's still alive is due to all the attention that she's gotten from around the world, so PLEASE feel free to share this song with everyone and post it where ever you want in support of Eman.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl4L3ZxriOM

I composed and recorded this song for Eman al-Obeidi to raise awareness of the nightmare that she’s in, and encourage her, and to let her know that she is not forgotten. One of the main reasons she’s still alive is due to all the attention that she’s gotten from around the world, so PLEASE feel free to share this song with everyone and post it where ever you want in support of Eman.